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Chemicals
Folk · 2018

Chemicals

Gregory Alan Isakov

A moody, nocturnal exploration of the physical side of feeling. Breathy vocals and tape-saturated piano create a sense of intimate, late-night isolation.

July 10, 2018 · Dualtone Music Group, Inc.

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Chemicals represents a shift in Gregory Alan Isakov's sonic palette, moving away from the sun-drenched pastoral folk of his earlier work toward something decidedly more nocturnal and textured. The track feels like velvet and static, blending his signature acoustic fingerpicking with subtle electronic undercurrents that hum like a distant power station. It is a song about the biological reality of emotion, delivered with a breathy intimacy that makes it feel as though the artist is whispering directly into the listener's ear in a dark room.

Moments Worth Listening For
the way the vocal shifts from a clean, intimate delivery to a slightly distorted, distant tone during the chorus
the entry of the steady, heartbeat-like percussion that anchors the ethereal piano melody
the bridge where the layers of reverb swell, creating a brief sense of overwhelming sonic space before receding
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Chemicals sound next to the rest of Gregory Alan Isakov's catalogue?

Tape Saturation+2.2σ

The production is built around tape saturation than this artist usually allows.

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